OpenFields

930: Environmental Impacts - nutrient management – crops

This paper is summarised from Chapter 5 of Natural England Research Report NERR030, ‘Environmental impacts of land management’.

Year of Publication2009

Regions where arable farming is dominant have the highest proportion of river length with excessive nitrate and phosphate levels. 24% of arable farmers do not have any nutrient management plan. Rising fertiliser prices mean farmers are looking to use them more efficiently. Adding nutrients can disrupt semi-natural habitats. Nutrients not taken up by plants can be diffused to air or water. The pressure on productive agricultural land for food production will probably lead to intensification in crop production and pressures to increase the area of cultivated land.